Bai Ran gritted her teeth, "Always coveting my contract beasts, is the Ziyun Sect always this shameless?"
Good! Very good! Refuse the toast only to be forced to drink the forfeit!
Veins bulged on the man's neck, his patience clearly at its limit.
Spiritual energy surged in his right hand, causing the trembling air to violently distort.
"Though it's a grave pity, I can only send you to your death." In the blink of an eye, the man's snow-white mask suddenly loomed large before Bai Ran.
So fast! She had no time to react!
Unable to expose her identity as the Ghost King, she could only brace herself and take the attack head-on.
The man's right fist, clenched and infused with fierce spiritual energy, swung towards Bai Ran's head.
If this punch landed, she would truly die!
"Little girl!" Sect Master Xiong rushed madly towards Bai Ran.
Too late!
Gu Qingcheng pushed herself up, wanting to help the beauty, but her legs trembled as she rose, making it impossible to move quickly.
Shi Xu also turned his eyes away, unable to bear witness.
It was too late...
The expected spray of blood did not occur.
A man in black suddenly appeared beside Bai Ran, catching the Ziyun Sect Master's fist.
"Jing Feng!"
"You! How are you here!" The Ziyun Sect Master stared at Jing Feng blankly, his mind stunned for a moment.
Jing Feng looked at the white-masked man before him with confusion. Did he know him?
The two stared at each other in a daze.
Bai Ran watched them, wondering what was going on.
Did the Ziyun Sect Master know Jing Feng?
"No matter who you are, if you dare to attack Miss Bai again, I won't be polite," Jing Feng said with a stern face.
The Ziyun Sect Master's face was full of question marks. He glanced left at Jing Feng, then right at Bai Ran, and scratched his head.
"She..."
"Could it be Your Majesty..."
Jing Feng was startled, and a sword suddenly appeared in his hand, its tip pointed at the Ziyun Sect Master's throat. A chill traveled up his body from the blade.
"Who are you! How do you know of Your Majesty!" Jing Feng's expression was grave.
Could he be from the Nine Heavens? But how did he know of His Majesty's relationship with Miss Bai?
Was he perhaps an assassin sent by the Nine Heavens?
"It's me, it's me!" The Ziyun Sect Master removed his white mask, revealing his true face.
His alluring features blurred gender, and his smooth black hair cascaded down, utterly seductive.
You are! Jing Feng's eyes widened, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"Master Wuji!"
"How did you get here?"
The various sect masters stared at the two of them, recognizing each other, utterly confused.
So the Ziyun Sect Master and this man were old acquaintances? And this man was Bai Ran's friend?
Zhi Rou also clenched her fists, her eyes filled with bewilderment.
What was going on! Was she truly the woman His Majesty loved???
It was truly a case of the Dragon King's Temple being flooded by its own waters, and kinsmen not recognizing each other!
Recalling how he had drawn his sword against her moments ago, Dongfang Wuji couldn't help but shiver.
It's over, it's over, it's over...
It's truly over!
Given Long Jinhan's temperament, he would likely be cut into a thousand pieces...
"That..."
"Miss Bai..."
Dongfang Wuji's face became fawning, and he smiled as he stood beside Bai Ran, "You see, it's all a misunderstanding."
Bai Ran ignored him and instead looked up at Jing Feng.
"Who is he?"
Jing Feng shrugged and whispered, "His Majesty's confidant, the Heavenly Machination Master of the Demon Realm."
Long Jinhan's confidant?
Bai Ran finally understood the reason for Dongfang Wuji's drastic change in attitude.
It was merely fear of Long Jinhan's punishment.
So that was it, everything made sense now.
He wanted to obtain the Vermilion Bird to heal Long Jinhan's cold affliction, and the Vermilion Bird happened to have been taken by her, so he set his sights on her.
"Yes, Miss Bai! It was all a huge misunderstanding!" Dongfang Wuji blinked his eyes, appearing very innocent.
"Sect Master?" Zhi Rou called out incredulously.
Why had her Sect Master changed so drastically? Was it because of this man? She looked at Jing Feng.
No! This vixen would die today!
She moved stealthily, condensing spiritual energy in her palm. Since the Sect Master wouldn't kill her, she would do it herself!
Zhi Rou thought no one was paying attention to her movements, not realizing that Jing Feng was protecting Bai Ran from all angles.
The slightest shift, and Jing Feng would detect it.
"Miss Bai," he said softly, and Bai Ran nodded.
Although it was a misunderstanding, Zhi Rou absolutely could not be let go. To avoid future trouble, it was best to eliminate her quickly.
Having received Bai Ran's instructions, Jing Feng acted.
Before Zhi Rou could get close, Jing Feng appeared behind her like a phantom.
"Forgive me."
Zhi Rou heard him and spun around violently, but her head, beyond her control, dropped straight down, hitting the ground with a thud.
Blood splattered, and Zhi Rou died. The Li family head had already been scared out of his wits.
This farce had finally come to an end.
Dongfang Wuji didn't even glance at her, as if she were merely a tiny ant, irrelevant to him.
"Miss Bai..." he fawned over Bai Ran.
Please don't let this get to Long Jinhan! Otherwise, he was truly doomed!
Jing Feng looked at Dongfang Wuji's demeanor and shook his head. Some things are best left unsaid.
"Actually, His Majesty already knows."
He interjected at an inopportune moment. Dongfang Wuji froze like a statue and stiffly turned his head.
"He..."
He knows... he knows... he knows...
The words echoed in Dongfang Wuji's mind, and he began to contemplate where to be buried.
"Little girl, are you alright?" Sect Master Xiong circled Bai Ran, looking her over, and only relaxed when he found no wounds.
"Sect Master, I am fine. This time, I owe thanks to Sect Master Gu and Sect Master Shi." Bai Ran bowed to the two sect masters.
The elders, who had witnessed the entire event, could not interject and willingly remained as transparent figures.
"Oh, beauty, you are my sister, no need to be so polite," Gu Qingcheng retracted her giant scorpion and chuckled.
Shi Xu also shook his head, indicating he was unharmed.
"By the way, beauty! Can you make poisons?" Gu Qingcheng's eyes lit up, looking at Bai Ran enthusiastically.
"Yes," Bai Ran hesitated for a moment before admitting it.
After all, one couldn't control a contract beast with potent venom without being skilled in its art.
Upon receiving the confirmation, Gu Qingcheng almost jumped with excitement.
"My successor has arrived!"
Shi Xu smiled helplessly, "Don't mind how the Divine Sound Sect Master appears, she is renowned as the number one poison master in the Central Realm."
"How do I appear? Huh?" Gu Qingcheng immediately put Shi Xu in a chokehold.
"Wrong, wrong," he patted her hand, struggling to breathe.
"Beauty! Come and learn poison arts with me!" Gu Qingcheng excitedly took Bai Ran's hands.
"Hey! This old man hasn't agreed yet! How dare you try to snatch my person again?" Sect Master Xiong stomped his feet in anger from the side.
Day after day, one had to guard against fire, theft, and old friends.